llinois Policy Institute: Statement on Chicago mayoral election results

March 1, 2023

Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas and Chicago Teachers Union political operative Brandon Johnson have advanced to the city of Chicago’s runoff election for mayor, which will take place on April 4.

PRESS RELEASE from the
ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE

CONTACT: Micky Horstman (312) 607-4977

Illinois Policy Institute: Statement on Chicago mayoral election results

CHICAGO (Feb. 28, 2023)—Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas and Chicago Teachers Union political operative Brandon Johnson have advanced to the city of Chicago’s runoff election for mayor, which will take place on April 4.

Illinois Policy Institute Spokesman Austin Berg released the following statement:

“Brandon Johnson’s platform on the issues Chicagoans care about stands in stark contrast to what new polling shows Chicagoans want.

“Sixty-two percent of Chicagoans support school choice. Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Teachers Union want to crush school choice. Sixty-five percent of Chicagoans support Invest in Kids, Illinois’ largest school choice program, which gives thousands of working-class parents the power to send their kid to a school of their choice. Brandon Johnson and the CTU want to end Invest in Kids.

Chicago voters support school choice by a 31-point margin

Chicago's Invest in Kids tax credit scholarship support by voters 65-28

“Chicagoans think CTU has too much power. If Brandon Johnson is elected mayor of Chicago, CTU will have a stranglehold over the city.

52% of Chicago parents say Chicago Teachers Union has too much influence over the city

“Johnson wants $1 billion in new taxes, including a new financial transactions tax, a new per-employee “head tax” and much more. He had previously called for a city income tax as well.

Voters prefer lowering taxes on businesses to raising them 52-29

“It’s clear that Johnson and CTU leaderships’ interests don’t align with Chicagoans’ policy preferences.”

To learn more about Chicagoans’ attitudes on public policy issues, check out our new poll, conducted in partnership with Echelon Insights.

Poll toplines are available here: https://illin.is/ChicagoPollToplinesFeb23

Poll crosstabs are available here: https://illin.is/ChicagoPollCrosstabsFeb23

Visit www.chicagoteachersunion.com to watch “LOCAL 1: The Rise of America’s Most Powerful Teachers Union,” a new documentary from the Illinois Policy Institute that explores the Chicago Teachers Union’s rise to political power and the consequences.